A/N- I'm back with another one-shot, are you guys sick of me yet? I know I've mentioned before that I have a thing for writing stories based on obscure 90's country; this is another one of them. The title and overall story concept is from "Joe & Rosalita" by Phil Vassar. There are some canon elements in here, but for the most part this is AU. Special thanks to RedAmbition, who did the proofreading for me here. Read her stuff, you won't regret it.
Disclaimer- I do not own Glee or its characters. This is purely for fun.
Legends in Love
"Have I told you how amazing you are?"
If you would have told Rachel Berry three years ago that she would be attending Senior Prom with Finn Hudson, she would not have believed you. As luck would have it though, here she was; holding tight to her insanely attractive -and tall- boyfriend as they swayed on the dance floor. Her floor length light pink dress was swaying at her feet and he was looking down at her with such adoration that it made her heart swell and her stomach flutter.
She giggled. "You may have mentioned it before."
He leaned closer to her lips. "I mean it," he whispered, before closing the gap between them in a heated kiss. They were so wrapped up in the kiss neither of them noticed that they were being watched.
"Hey Mashed Potato Pants, you and the Littlest Jew need to control yourselves. This is a high school prom, not a pornographic sex show for losers." The tall blond teacher looked between the now separated teens and pointed at Finn harshly. "Keep it in your pants, Lurch." Her directive given she walked towards where she had been standing guard at the punch bowl.
Finn and Rachel shared a laugh as the woman disappeared from view. "Ms. Sylvester seemed pretty upset."
"She did." Even as he spoke, Finn was pulling Rachel tighter to him and staring at her lips in desire.
Rachel licked her lips as her eyes darted between Finn's eyes and lips. "We should probably behave, Finn." Even as she spoke, her fingers rubbed along the tie of Finn's tuxedo.
"We should." His face inched closer, a mischievous half-smile on his lips.
Rachel lifted on her toes slightly. "I don't want to," she managed to get out before she took hold of the tie, pulling on it and effectively bringing Finn's lips to hers for another kiss. When the need for air became too great, they broke apart, breathless and ridiculously happy.
The song ended and Finn released his hold on her waist and took her hand. "Come on. Let's go sit with the others."
The couple made their way to the table where several of their friends had been sitting out the previous dance. "Hey guys!" Rachel waved politely as she greeted her friends.
"Are you two trying to get me to throw up?"
Rachel and Finn both shared a look at the harsh tone of Santana Lopez. "What are you talking about Santana?"
"It looked like you and Finnegan were trying to make a baby out there. I mean geez Berry, I know it's like a rite of passage to lose the big V at prom, but you're not actually supposed to give it up on the dance floor. You wait till after."
Rachel's face turned a bright shade of red and Finn squeezed her hand. "For your information, Santana, Finn and I are in love and we were most definitely not having s… -doing that- on the dance floor. When we decide to be intimate, it will be in private," Rachel huffed and led Finn to a pair of empty seats at the table.
"Relax, I was only giving you and the Giant a hard time." Santana stood and held out her hand to Brittany, "Come on, Brit, let's dance."
The two girls left the table and Finn tugged on Rachel's hand, still intertwined with his. She smiled at his silent invitation and moved to take her place in his lap. His arms wrapped around her waist and he kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear. "Don't worry about them." His lips moved from near her ear to her neck and she giggled as he nipped and kissed at the sensitive skin there.
"Don't you two ever give it a rest?"
Finn detached his lips and gave his step brother Kurt Hummel a pointed look. "What is with everyone tonight?" He asked gruffly. "It's prom, don't you all have your own dates to tend to? Why is everyone messing with ours? I love Rachel, she loves me, and if we want to kiss, or make out, or whatever, we will." He nudged Rachel to stand and took her hand. "Come on, Rach."
She trailed him out to the dance floor and when Finn stopped, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. Before either could deepen the kiss, however, a familiar voice stopped them. "Miss Berry, Frankenteen. I trust you are not about to make me use the painful and highly illegal torture device I picked up in the Philippines when I visited there in my early twenties?" The two stared at the suddenly much more frightening teacher with wide eyes and nodded slightly. "Well?"
"No Coach." They said in unison.
"Good."
They watched as the intimidating teacher walked away then looked back at each other. Soon they both started to laugh, the late hour and the constant nagging finally causing them to crack. After their laughter subsided, Finn tightened his hold on the tiny brunette. "You know how much I love you, right?"
"I know and I love you too, Finn." She looked around to make sure nobody was watching and placed a quick kiss to his lips. "You know what we should do?" She asked excitedly.
"Elope?"
Rachel stopped swaying and stared in awe at Finn's hopeful expression. "Wha- Finn? Are you serious?"
"Rach, I love you. The last couple years have been the happiest, because I had you by my side. I already knew I wanted to marry you. We are both eighteen and we graduate next month and are moving to New York to-"
"Finn. You don't have to convince me. I just wanted to make sure I heard you correctly and that you meant it."
He smiled. "Of course I meant it."
"Then let's get out of here." Rachel kissed him again and took his hand as they made their way out of the high school gymnasium. Once out the doors of the school, Rachel removed her heels and held them in her hand as they took off in a run to Finn's pick-up truck.
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
After arriving in Columbus just before two AM, the couple rented a motel room not far from the interstate. Once in their room, they shed their prom attire and curled up with each other, finally allowing the day to catch up with them. They slept until late morning and when Rachel awoke, she sat straight up in bed in one quick motion.
Finn sleepily opened his eyes to see his girlfriend, no, his fiancé, wearing the shirt he had been wearing under his tux the night before and he smiled. "Rach, are you okay?"
She squealed, "I'm getting married today!" Rachel turned and tackled Finn backwards, coming to rest over top of him. His hands wrapped around her back as she kissed him soundly.
When they parted for air, Finn smiled. "We sure are." He kissed her again. "I was kinda worried you would wake up and change your mind."
"Not a chance." She kissed him one last time and climbed off of him. "Let's get ready."
After showering, redressing in the only clothes they had with them, and having breakfast a small diner, they found themselves parked in the small parking lot of what looked like a large home, dressed in a prom gown and tuxedo.
"Is this it? Finn, it's amazing. How did you know it was here?"
"Remember when Burt had to fly to DC for that special vote thing last year and my mom decided to make it a family trip?" She nodded. "We drove by it on our way to dinner. For some reason, I've never forgotten about it." Finn shut off the truck and turned in his seat. "Are you sure you want to do this, Rachel?"
Rachel reached across and took his hand in hers. "I've never been more sure of anything. I love you and I always will." She took her bottom lip between her teeth and looked down at their intertwined hands. "Are you having second thoughts?"
"Not even one. Let's go." Finn got out of the truck and hurried around to help Rachel out of the passenger side of the truck. He took her hand and they walked a few steps before he stopped. His hand cradled her cheek as his eyes locked with hers. His free hand wrapped around her waist and brought her close to him as he kissed her deeply. They broke apart moments later and Finn's lip turned up into a half smile. "The next time I kiss you, you will be my wife."
"Wife…" She breathed.
He took her hand and led her inside the quaint building where they were immediately greeted by peppy middle aged woman. "Hello! Welcome to Wedding's-R-Us, I'm Diane. How may I assist you?"
Finn and Rachel looked at each other and shared a smile, then looked to the woman. "We want to get married," they said in unison.
Diane chuckled. "All of our services are listed on the board behind me, why don't you both look it over. I'll be right over here when you are ready."
The pair looked over the board for a few moments and called Diane over to help them. "We are just going to get the basic 'quicky' package, but we want to add rings."
Diane asked a few questions, taking notes on a small notepad about the type of ceremony and ring sizes, then questioned Finn about a ring. "We have men's wedding bands in either gold or silver. Do you know what you would prefer?" She looked expectantly at Finn.
He and Rachel looked at each other, silently deciding. "Gold," he said.
"Excellent. For the bride, we have five options you can choose from."
Finn held up a hand and turned to Rachel, grabbing her hand. "Rach, is it okay if I pick by myself, I kind of want it to be a surprise."
She squeezed his hand and smiled warmly. "I trust you, Finn. I'll just go wash up." She rose onto her toes and kissed his cheek. "I love you."
"Love you too." His eyes were trained on her until she disappeared from his view. He turned his attention back to Diane.
"It's so cute how in love you two are." She removed a box from under the counter that had an assortment of rings arranged in foam dividers.
Finn smiled as he looked inside the box, immediately knowing which to choose. "That one," he said, pointing at one of the rings in the box.
"This one?"
"Yes. That's the one." She handed him the ring just as Rachel returned from the restroom. Finn took her hand and they paid the requested amount.
"Alright. I'll let you two fill out this paperwork while I get Gerald ready." Diane left for a few moments and when she returned, Finn handed her a clipboard. "We are all set up, are you two ready?" They nodded. "Great. Follow me."
Hand in hand they followed the woman to where they were to be married. The small room was decorated a few flowers and drapes of tulle strategically placed around the otherwise white room. The podium was set up in front of a fireplace and there were a few chairs placed at the back of the room, presumably for guests. Diane led them to where an older large man in a suit greeted them with a smile. "I'm Gerald; I'll be performing the ceremony for you today."
After a very brief conversation with Gerald, Diane situated the bride and groom in front of the altar and they started the ceremony. They recited their vows and before they knew it, Gerald was asking for the rings. He looked to Finn. "Please place the ring on the ring finger of Rachel's left hand and repeat after me: with this ring, I thee wed."
Finn gently began to slide the ring onto Rachel's finger with a smile. "With this ring, I thee wed."
Once in place, Rachel stole a glance at the elegant ring that now called her finger home. It was a simple gold band; the band twisting into an infinity symbol, a small diamond in the middle and it fit her perfectly. A tear slid down her cheek as Finn brought her hand to his lips for a sweet kiss.
Gerald watched on and when he felt they were ready, he continued. "Rachel, place the ring on Finn's left hand and repeat after me: with this ring, I thee wed."
Rachel attempted to slide the ring onto Finn's finger, struggling when it wouldn't go over the last knuckle. She twisted the ring and added a little more force. When it finally passed over the knuckle and rested in its rightful spot, they all laughed. It wasn't until Gerald shifted that they turned their attention back to the man.
He smiled warmly and closed the folder he had. "By the power vested in me, by the state of Ohio, I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."
Rachel squealed and Finn swiftly wrapped his arms around her middle, lifting her feet off the ground and bringing her flush to him as his lips found hers, sealing their vows with a kiss. When they broke apart, he kept her off the ground and close to him as he extended a hand to Gerald. "Thanks man." He took a few strides before a giggling Rachel called out a quick thank you from her spot in Finn's arms.
They made their way out to the truck and Finn placed her in the passenger seat then joined her in the cab. From his seat behind the wheel, he turned to face her, but was unable to speak before Rachel's lips were on his. "We are married," she said in awe when they finally broke apart.
"We are, where to, Mrs. Hudson?"
The use of her new name elicited another squeal from Rachel and once again, her lips found his. "Take us back to the room."
Several minutes and stolen kisses later, the newlywed couple found themselves inside the motel room they shared, kissing frantically on the bed. After several minutes of heated kissing, Rachel stood, leaving a confused Finn lying on the bed alone. "Rach?" She reached behind her and slowly began to lower the zipper on her dress. Finn stood and dropped a kiss to her shoulder as his hand gently slid the thin straps of the light pink gown off her shoulder. The dress fell to the floor and Finn sat on the edge of the bed, taking in the sight of his beautiful bride clad in only her bra and underwear. "Beautiful."
She undid the buttons of his dress shirt and shucked it from his shoulders, kissing his neck as she tossed the shirt to the side. He groaned and pressed his lips to hers insistently. His arm wrapped around her waist and swiftly brought her under him in the center of the bed. They kissed while he hovered over her small frame, his hands roaming over her body. She brought one of her small hands to the button of his dress pants, fumbling to undo it. Finn stopped and pulled back, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Rach. Ar-are you sure? We can wait until you are ready."
His voice was husky and Rachel knew that despite his obvious arousal, if she wanted him to stop, he would; she didn't want him to though. "Finn," she began, "we are married; you are my husband. And as my husband…" She brought both of her hands to either side of his face and placed a light kiss to his lips. "I want you to make love to me. I'm ready."
Finn kissed her soundly, pouring all of the emotion he felt in the kiss. He had been given his first official duty as a husband and he had every intention of succeeding.
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
"Rach, it will be fine. I'll be right next to you. We will do it together."
Rachel looked over at Finn, who was now pulling into the driveway of her house. They were now two days post prom and the only thing either of them had told their parents was that they were taking a quick trip to Columbus and they would be back Sunday. They didn't mention that they were going together, nor did they say they were going alone.
Now they were getting ready to face Rachel's dad's, two days later, married and still wearing their prom attire. This should be fun.
Finn exited the truck and moved to the passenger side, taking Rachel's hand as she stepped out of the truck. His fingers toyed with the ring he had placed there just yesterday and they shared a smile. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too."
"Rachel!"
The new and familiar voice caused Finn and Rachel to stiffen. Finn shoved his left hand in his pocket and they both took in a deep breath and turned to face the now open front door, Finn's free hand still holding hers. "Hi Daddy." She said brightly, with way more confidence than she felt.
"Mr. Berry," Finn greeted.
"Rachel, Finn, where have you been?" Hyrum Berry moved out of the door way, allowing the teens to enter the house. "We have been worried about you. You could have at least come by the house to get a change of clothes, Princess." His eyes roamed over their wrinkled and over worn clothes and he wrinkled his nose.
"We only decided to make the trip while we were at prom, it was a spontaneous." She explained, discretely squeezing Finn's hand as they sat on the sofa. Her eyes scanned the room, "Where's Papa?"
"He's in the basement making his jam." He shook his head. "You know how he is about that."
"I'll go get him." Rachel stood abruptly and walked to the stairs, calling down for her papa to join them.
Only a minute later Leroy Berry entered the room and saw his husband sitting across from his daughter and Finn. "Rachel!" He crossed the room and brought her in for a hug. He pulled back and took in their appearances. "Why didn't you take any extra clothes? Have you been wearing that since Friday?"
Finn and Rachel shared a look of panic. There was no way that they would be telling her dads that they had spent most of the last twenty-four hours naked, so technically, no, they hadn't been wearing them the entire time. They only got dressed if they had to leave the hotel, which was not often.
"Uh, Finn, Rachel, is everything alright? Is there something we should know? You know you can tell us anything." Leroy once again looked at each of the other people in the room.
"Anything?" Finn questioned.
The two older men shared a look, one of slight panic, and Leroy reluctantly confirmed, "Anything."
"Daddy, Papa, Finn and I love each other very much," Rachel started.
"We do." Finn affirmed, kissing Rachel's hand tenderly.
Rachel smiled at him and then turned her attention back to her fathers. "Of course, you both know that. We love each other so much. And next month we graduate high school and two months after that, we are moving to New York for college."
"Rachel…"
"Finn and I went to Columbus, because we wanted to get married."
Both Hyrum and Leroy let out an audible gasp before reaching for the others hand. "Rachel, you didn't?" Hyrum asked, almost in a whisper.
"We did. I am his wife and I couldn't be happier."
"Me either." Finn added. He removed his hand from his pocket and revealing his wedding band to the men for the first time. "Rachel is everything to me. I realized at the dance that I can't live without her, I don't want to." Once again, he kissed the back of her hand. "I asked her to marry me, she said yes, and we decided to go before anyone could talk us out of it."
The men had so many questions swirling in their heads they didn't even know where to start. They knew that their daughter was loved. They knew that Finn was going to take care of Rachel.
Leroy took in a deep breath and asked the only thing he could. "Have you told your mother yet, Finn?"
"No sir, we wanted to stop here first." Finn said.
"Well, Rachel, why don't you get cleaned up so that you can go to Carol's? We can sort out all the details later." He stood and hugged Rachel before she took Finn's hand and led him down the hallway.
Hyrum watched as the couple disappeared into Rachel's room then turned to face Leroy. "I can't believe they got married."
"Me either."
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
"Mom? Burt? I'm home." Rachel's grip was tight on Finn's hand as he led her into the main living area of the Hudson-Hummel household. When they had pulled into the driveway, he and Rachel knew that both his mother and step father were home.
Carol Hummel poked her head around the corner where she had been cleaning up from lunch. "Honey?" She tossed the dish towel to the side and met Rachel and Finn with a hug. "Where have you two been?" She looked at her son, "Finn? Are you still wearing your tuxedo?"
His left hand wrapped around Rachel's, her rubbed the back of his neck with the right, "Uh, yeah. We didn't really plan on the weekend trip. It just happened and well… we didn't take any other clothes with us." Finn smiled down at Rachel then turned his attention back to his mother. "Where's Burt?" He questioned.
"He had to do a little work on the computer. Honey, is everything alright? You look like you are about to be sick?"
The older woman placed a hand on his forehead and he rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, Mom. I just- I- can we talk to you for a minute?"
"Of course, Finn. Is this about your spontaneous weekend in Columbus?"
Ever since Finn's father had died, it had been him and his mother; until she married Burt almost two years ago. Although he didn't regret getting married over the weekend without his mother present, he was worried about her reaction. He loved his mother; he didn't want to disappoint her.
Finn and Rachel shared a look and Rachel silently urged him to continue. "Yeah. Um, well, Mom…"
"Finn, you are starting to scare me. What's wrong?"
Finn closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "At prom," he started, "I asked Rachel to marry me." He opened his eyes, exhaled slowly, and just went for it. "We went to Columbus to get married."
Carol's eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes. "Oh, Finny," she whispered in disbelief.
Rachel's own eyes started to fill with tears as she watched Carol react. She knew how much Carol meant to Finn. She hated to think that their relationship was in jeopardy. Before Rachel was able to lend a comforting hand, however, Burt's voice entered the room.
"Hey Carol, Do you know where…" He trailed off when he caught sight of his wife in tears. He looked to Rachel, who was also tearing up, and to Finn, who looked like he was going to be sick. He moved quickly to be by Carol's side. "What's going on?" He asked, wrapping his arm around Carol's shoulder, who immediately sunk into his embrace. "Finn?"
"Me and Rachel eloped."
Carol stiffened at the word and Burt tightened his grip. "You what?" He looked over to Rachel, who now had a few tears falling from her eyes. "Did you knock her up, Son?"
"What? No!" Finn was quick to answer that one.
"No!" Rachel added. Finn looked over to her and noticed her tears, immediately releasing her hand and wrapping an arm around her for comfort.
Burt looked at the teens, then to his wife. "All right. How about we sit down at the table and figure this out. Okay?"
Finn and Rachel followed hand in hand as Burt led a still stunned Carol to the family's kitchen table. When they took their seats, Finn and Rachel rested their entwined hands on the table. They four sat in silence for a few moments, nobody quite knowing where to start.
The air was filled with an odd tension; it was only when Carol caught sight of the ring that rested on Rachel's left hand that the silence gave way to conversation. "Is th-that the ring?" Rachel turned her hand in Finn's slightly, her lips turning up into a hesitant smile as she caught sight of her wedding ring and she nodded. "Can I see it?" Carol asked. Rachel released her hold on Finn's hand and held it to Carol for inspection. Carol took Rachel's outstretched hand and inspected the ring as the two husbands looked on.
"Mom?"
Carol released Rachel's hand and let out a breath. "I know you two love each other. That has never been a question. I think we all knew you two were going to get married eventually." She looked to Burt and gave a tentative smile.
"We just figured you would be out of high school." Burt said, shifting his gaze from Carol to the young couple. "Marriage is not always easy. It takes work."
Finn took hold of Rachel's hand. "We know," Finn stated confidently. "We are both willing to do whatever it takes to make this marriage work. I love Rachel. I am willing to do whatever I have to to make her happy."
Carol turned her focus to the petite brunette who was now her daughter-in-law. "Rachel, what did your dads say?"
Rachel sat up tall in her seat. "Well, they were surprised, which is to be expected. In the end, however, they realized that me and Finn love each other and we are happy."
Burt looked at Finn. "What are your plans until graduation, where are you going to live?"
The newlyweds shared a look before Finn answered. "We were planning to move into Rachel's room. It's bigger and has its own bathroom."
"Well," Burt started, "it sounds like you kids have at least thought this out a little bit."
"We have."
Carol once again started to tear up. "I can't believe my baby boy is married." She shook her head and gathered her thoughts. "I'm not thrilled that the two of you ran away and got married at barely eighteen." Finn gulped. "I'm not happy that I wasn't there to see it." She took in a breath and smiled at the couple. "I do know that what you two have is special. So, the only thing that there is left to say, is…" Carol stood from the table, the rest of the small group standing also, unsure of what her next move would be. She stopped in front of Rachel and put her hands on her shoulders. "Welcome to the family, Rachel."
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
"You think anyone knows?" Rachel asked Finn. They met up after their first class of the day, as they always did, ready to handle the whispers of their peers as he walked her to her next class.
She was surprised, however, when it wasn't Finn who answered her question. "Oh, they know. They are calling it the 'great escape' or something. You two are a bit of a legend this morning." Kurt looked at his new brother and sister-in-law and shook his head. "I still can't believe you two eloped."
Finn wrapped an arm around Rachel's shoulders, keeping pace in the hallway. "And we couldn't be happier."
"I always knew you two would get married. I was just hoping I could be in attendance." The trio stopped in front of what was to be Finn's next class and Kurt held out and elbow to Rachel. "Mrs. Hudson, shall we go to our next class?"
Rachel giggled as Finn raised a playful eyebrow at his brother. "Careful, Dude, she's married."
"I sure am." She raised on her toes and placed a loving kiss to Finn's lips, her hand resting on his chest. "See you after class, Husband. Love you."
Finn smiled widely as she began to back away from him, her hand keeping contact as long as the distance between them would allow. "See you later, Wife. Love you too."
"You two are nauseating. Come on Rachel, we are going to be late." Rachel threaded her hand through Kurt's elbow and they made their way to their next class. Only a few steps away, however, she turned to see Finn watching her walk away; she winked and blew a kiss to him. Kurt tensed his elbow and she turned her attention back to the direction she was walking. "I'm happy for you two, you know," Kurt said in a sigh.
"You are?"
"I am. It is weird that you and Finn are married high school students, but I'm happy for you."
Rachel stopped in front of the classroom and hugged her friend. "Thank you Kurt, that means a lot to us."
"So, Rachel, are you going to change your name?" Kurt asked as they found their seats inside the classroom.
The pair sat in their usual seats near the front. "For legal purposes, yes; in my everyday life I will be Rachel Hudson, but when I inevitably make it big on Broadway, I will use Rachel Berry as my stage name."
"That sounds like a wonderful plan," he said, sitting back in his chair.
Rachel reached a hand over to his and lightly covered his hand with hers. "Thank you, Kurt."
"For what?"
She smiled. "For the support."
"That's what family is for. But please remember my loyalty when we are all sharing an apartment in New York City. I don't ever want to witness what I walked in on this morning." He shuttered.
"Next time, you'll knock." Rachel laughed as the teacher walked in, ready to start the class.
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
"Good afternoon, New Directions!" Mr. Schuester greeted. "I hope everyone had a good weekend and great time at prom."
"Some more than others," Santana snickered, just audible for everyone to hear.
Will Schuester prides himself on being involved in the lives of his students; after all, he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them; he would probably be a miserable accountant or something. He had heard about the Co-captains of his glee club eloping after prom, –who hadn't- but he had decided not to address it. Maybe he should have, because clearly the rest of the class didn't share his 'let's not talk about it' mentality. He sighed. "Santana…"
"What Mr. Schue? I think it's wonderful that Berry and Tubs finally did the deed. Maybe she will be just a little less wound up." Santana looked at her nails then to Rachel, who was curled into Finn's side. "Hold up! You did give him the juice, didn't you? I mean you are married now."
"Santana!" Mr. Schuester did not need this animosity only two weeks before Nationals.
Rachel stood and moved to stand next to the teacher, bringing Finn along with her. "Mr. Schue, if I may?" He reluctantly nodded, might as well get this over with. "I'm sure many of you have heard the rumor that Finn and I eloped after prom." She took Finn's hand and smiled up at him. He was clearly apprehensive, but gave her a tentative smile none-the-less. "I would like to officially confirm that rumor." The classroom filled with the sound of a light applause and some quiet well-wishes and Rachel kissed Finn's cheek. "I am his wife and until we move to New York this summer, we will be living at my parent's house."
"That's great, congratulations you two." The curly haired teacher clapped Finn on the back.
Smiling at the room full of her friends, most of them seemingly happy for her and Finn's new life together, Rachel held up her hand to quiet the room. "While my and Finn's wedding was intimate and beautiful, we were not afforded the opportunity to sing. We have prepared something special for you today." Rachel turned over her shoulder and nodded for the piano player to begin.
Brad began moving his fingers skilfully over the keys of the piano as Finn began to sing.
Highway run
Into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round
You're on my mind
Rachel stepped forward, eyeing her husband with such adoration.
Restless hearts
Sleep alone tonight
Sending all my love
Along the wire
They sang together, building on the passion they had when they had sang the same song at regionals a couple years before, alternating their part just the same.
I'm forever yours
Ever yours
Faithfully
When the song ended, Rachel and Finn were standing toe to toe, breathing heavy. Finn reached out at took the hand where the still new wedding band was resting and rubbed his finger over the ring gently. Just as had happened so many times when they sang together, they were completely lost in each other when Mr. Schuester congratulated them again and gestured them to their seats.
Finn took a step in the direction of his seat releasing Rachel's hand when he was offered a few congratulatory handshakes and well wishes from his fellow classmates. He looked over and saw Rachel receiving the same from the girls only a few feet away. When the club members had all made their piece, he looked over to see Rachel leaning over Santana and immediately got worried.
Rachel welcomed the hugs from most of the girls within the glee club. She had been pulled to the other end of the room for a few questions, but now, as she was making her way back to her rightful seat beside Finn, she couldn't help but stop in front of Santana. She leaned down to whisper in the Latina's ear, her heart beating wildly. "Just so you know Finn has sampled my juice on more than one occasion since our wedding night." Rachel paused to look at Santana's face, pleased with the reaction so far. "He seems to quite like it." With that, Rachel stood tall and moved to take her seat next to Finn.
He looked at the half open mouth of the normally very vocal Santana as he wrapped his arm around Rachel's shoulders. He kissed her cheek and discretely whispered in her ear, "What did you say to her?"
Rachel shrugged and giggled quietly, "The truth."
Before she was able to explain further, Mr. Schuester had formally begun the rehearsal.
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
"Finn! I need in there!" Rachel pounded on the door to her bathroom, willing Finn to let her in. She honestly had no idea what was taking him so long.
About fifteen minutes ago, shortly after they had finished dinner with her parents, he excused himself and locked himself in the bathroom. He didn't say why and he was acting a little funny before he left. It was Friday evening and they were supposed to be at the high school very soon so that they could board the bus to their Nationals competition. All their clothes were packed, she only needed to grab the items from her bathroom and they would be ready.
Pound, pound, pound. "Finn! What are you even doing in there?"
Inside the bathroom, Finn was panicking. Sure, he and Rachel had been dating for a couple years now, but there were just some things you should keep to yourself; your bathroom habits topping the list, it didn't matter if you were married or not. They had been living together for a week now and so far he had managed to do his business when Rachel was completely oblivious. School, his moms, the garage, he even woke up in the middle of the night once so that nobody would know.
Tonight, however, his body had betrayed him. It was either take over the bathroom he shared with Rachel or face a much worse embarrassment; and right now, Rachel was outside the door demanding to be let in. "Rach, I just need another minute." His voice was shy and unsure. It was weird to hold a conversation like this.
"Fine, but if we are late, I'm telling Mr. Schue it was your fault!" Rachel huffed away from the bathroom door, taking their luggage out of the room.
As soon as Finn heard the bedroom door close, he finished what business he had in the bathroom and opened the door slightly to check for any sight of his wife. With the coast clear, he opened the door fully, then closed it, then opened it again, hoping to fan the air in the small room. He opened the door fully one last time, then began waving his arms wildly, hoping to dilute the air enough that Rachel would not notice what he had been doing.
Rachel walked into her room and immediately saw Finn swinging his arm like crazy in the door way to her bathroom. "Finn! What are you doi- What is that…" She trailed off as she put the pieces of the puzzle together. "How am I supposed to go in there so I can finish packing? We are going to be late." She covered her face with the collar of her shirt and began to back out of the room.
"Rach, it's… I couldn't… everybody poops!" His hands flew up in frustration over her lack of understanding of the situation. Yes, he kind of stunk up the bathroom; did he do it on purpose? No.
Rachel huffed, stomping her foot for good measure. "I know that, Finn. What I don't understand is why you had to do that right when I needed to go in there. We are going to be late."
"I think you are being unreasonable about this. Just give it a few minutes and it will be safe again." He looked around the bedroom, noticing several packed bags. "Are we taking all these bags?"
Rachel crossed her arms across her chest, clearly still upset about being exiled from the bathroom. "Yes Finn. We need clothes."
"Rach, we are only going to be gone for two days. Why do we need so many bags?"
Her eyes narrowed at him, only fueling the argument fuller. "We need so many bags because we are going to nationals, Finn. The weather in Chicago is unpredictable and we will be prepared."
"It doesn't matter." His tone suggested that it did matter. "I'll just take these down to the truck." He crossed the room and picked up two of the bags and left the room. Rachel tentatively made her way to the bathroom, deeming it safe enough. She was loading yet another bag with items from the room when Finn returned to collect the other two bags. "Another bag?"
"I told you I still had to pack our toiletries."
Finn hoisted the remaining two bags. "I'll be in the truck."
Rachel finished packing the final bag and made her way out to the truck, making sure to tell her fathers they were leaving. The truck ride to the school was quiet and tense. Finn loaded the luggage into the bin at the side of the bus and found a seat, Rachel right behind him. She dropped next to him in the seat and immediately inserted her headphones in her ear.
Soon, the bus filled with the rest of the glee club and they were on the road. Rachel alternated between sleeping and listening to music, opting not to speak to her husband who, seemed to be okay with that.
"Trouble in paradise, Huddy?" Puck whispered over Finn's shoulder, making sure Rachel was asleep.
Finn let out a deep breath. "It's not a big deal. Don't worry about it."
"You two haven't touched each other since we got on this bus, I'd say that's a big deal. You and Berry are always mauling each other."
Despite his anger, Finn's reply was automatic. "It's Hudson now." As the words left his mouth, a small smile played on his lips.
"So you don't regret it?" Puck asked.
"Not for a second." Puck squeezed Finn's shoulder in approval and leaned back in his seat and the rest of the bus ride was spent in silence.
When they arrived at their hotel, Mr. Schuester reminded everyone of the busy schedule they had the next day, divided up the room keys, separating the boys from the girls, and sent them to their rooms. He was surprised when neither Finn, nor Rachel protested about being separated.
The next morning, the group gathered for one last rehearsal before they were to be on stage. Finn and Rachel were still not speaking, though it appeared their anger had given way to longing and remorse. Everybody seemed to notice, but nobody brought it up.
Soon enough the announcer was announcing the New Directions on stage and it was time for any residual anger to be left back stage. Rachel pushed aside the curtains and walked on to the stage with slow, deliberate strides as the beginning notes rang out within the amphitheater.
I can't win, I can't reign
I will never win this game
Without you, without you
I am lost, I am vain,
I will never be the same
Without you, without you..
Finn watched from beside the stage as his wife sang. Her voice had always been able to wrap around his heart and this was no different. It didn't matter if they were fighting of not.
Can't erase, so I'll take blame
But I can't accept that we're estranged
Without you, without you
I can't quit now, this can't be right
I can't take one more sleepless night
Without you, without you…
Rachel moved around the stage slowly as she sang the words. Her eyes caught Finn's as he waited with the rest of the New Directions at the side of the stage and she placed a hand over her heart, hoping he understood what she was trying to say. Knowing that she had to finish the song in a certain spot, she moved back to the center of the stage, facing the audience as the other members took the stage behind her.
Her final note gave way to the high energy big group number and she joined them on the risers as the Santana began the song.
Hey hey hey
You and me keep on dancing in the dark
It's been tearing me apart
Never knowing what we are…
The group preformed the song, complete with choreography as they had practiced and when the song ended, they exited the stage. Finn and Puck were first off the stage, high fiving as soon as they were properly hidden from view of the audience. Rachel was last off the stage, and as soon as Finn noticed that she, too, was properly off the stage, he went to her. She was quietly celebrating with Mercedes as the collective group was moving away from the main stage so the next group could go on. She turned in time to see Finn making his way towards her. Rachel tuned out whatever her friend was saying and began walking to Finn. Once close enough, she launched herself into Finn's arms. He immediately wrapped them around the girl, lifting her off the ground so he could bury his face in the crook of her neck. "I love you so much." He choked out.
"I love you too, Finn. Let's never fight again."
They pulled back and started peppering kisses over each other's faces. "Spending last night without you was awful and Puck's feet smell very very bad."
Rachel giggled as Finn placed her back on the ground and took her hand. "We are not sleeping apart tonight, even if we have to snuggle in a linen closet."
"Deal."
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
"I can't believe our Princess is married and moving to New York to start college." Hyrum watched as Rachel sat on the floor of her bedroom, placing items into boxes. Graduation had been weeks ago and now Rachel was packing up her things while Finn was at his parent's house doing the same thing.
"Daddy… "
The man entered her room, holding his hands up in defense. "What? Am I not allowed to miss my only daughter?" Hyrum and Leroy had spent the last month or so trying to forget that Rachel was moving so far away. The two men had shed many tears in preparation for her departure. It's not like they didn't know she was going to move, she has been telling them so for years. They just didn't realize how fast those years would go.
"Of course, Daddy, but it's not like I'm moving to the other side of the county. We are just going to New York."
He sat on the bed, peering at the items Rachel had been putting in the box resting on the floor in front of her. "I know, but it is going to be an adjustment, more so than it has been already."
"Are you upset that I married Finn?" She fidgeted with her rings as the hesitant question was asked, her eyes never leaving the floor.
Hyrum placed his hand on Rachel's shoulder. "Upset? No. Your Papa and I know that you two love each other very much; anybody who knows you two can see that." He gently squeezed his daughters shoulder. "We are concerned though. Marriage is not easy. The odds are already against it lasting, even under the best of circumstances and you and Finn are so young."
She looked up, finally catching his gaze. "I know we are." She sat up on her knees, raising herself higher. "Me and Finn are committed to making this marriage last. We want nothing more than to prove to everyone that we can beat the odds. I love him and he loves me. We know there will be challenges along the way and we know they will be difficult, but we also know that we will make it through, together."
"We have complete faith in you. You have always been very mature for your age. Me and your Papa will always be here if you need us." He smiled, grateful he was able to have a talk with her before her big move.
"I know Daddy, thank you." She looked around the room, making a mental note of the things she still needed to pack. "I better finish this up; there are only a couple days until we leave." He nodded and stood, making his way to the doorway. Rachel watched him until he got to the doorway. "Love you Daddy."
He turned and smiled. "Love you too, Princess."
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
"Hey, Burt, do you know if we have any more tape around?"
"I think so." Burt looked up from the newspaper he was reading and stood from his place on the couch. "So, uh, the big move in a couple days, huh?" He opened a closet, looking for the requested item.
The corner of Finn's mouth lifted in a smirk. "Yeah. Rachel is at her house packing her room up too."
"You really love her, don't you son?" Burt stopped looking in the closet and turned to face his step son. Even though he and Finn didn't get to have many of these man to man type talks, Burt relished every one of them. They had gotten along well and with both Finn and Kurt moving out of state in a couple days, Burt had wanted to get in one more big talk with Finn before he moved. Now that he was living at Rachel's house, the opportunities had become rare.
"I do. I just, I don't know what I would do without her. If it weren't for her, I'm not sure I would have graduated, let alone be going to college. You know?"
"The two of you are good for each other. I see the way she looks at you and the way you look at her. A teen marriage isn't ideal, but if anyone can do it, it's you two." Burt adjusted the baseball cap perched on his head and moved to where a grocery bag was resting on the counter. "Uh, but Finn… you need to be careful, you know, in the bedroom. I mean, a teenage wedding is one thing, but please use protection. You don't want an unplanned surprise changing the plans the two of you have made to finish college."
Finn's face flushed red as he took in the words he was hearing. "Uh, yeah, um we, yeah. We are being careful."
"Good, but uh, just in case. I wanted you to have these." Burt handed over the grocery bag and Finn opened it then closed it quickly when he saw the very large box of assorted condoms inside. "I was a teenager once and I was a newlywed twice, I know how things can get heated and move quickly. Just, be careful okay."
The younger man held the bag, his face still red, though Burt's was its own shade of red. "I will. Thanks Burt."
"No problem. You know me and your mother are here if either of you need anything, right?" He readjusted the hat and cleared his throat, completely ready to end a conversation where they were discussing Finn's sex life. "Good, now let's go find that tape."
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
"Welcome to Sardi's. Are you celebrating a special occasion tonight?"
Rachel smiled up at the waitress as her husband took her hand. "Yes. It's our wedding anniversary today." She giggled.
"Oh! Wonderful. One year? That is a big milestone. I'll be sure to let the chef know."
Rachel held up her hand, still giggling. This happened a lot. "No, it is our fifth."
"Oh." The waitress seemed genuinely surprised that this could be the couple's fifth anniversary. "Wow. You two seem so young and it seems that you are still in the honeymoon phase. I'm sorry about that."
Rachel stole a glance at Finn. "It's okay. We hear that a lot. We are high school sweethearts actually."
"That is so cute! Congratulations!" She took their order and brought them food and when they had finished their meal, she brought out a dessert for them to share. "Happy anniversary."
When they finished eating Finn led Rachel on a walk through the park, stopping on a bridge overlooking a small lake within the park. Rachel leaned against the railing, facing out over the water and almost immediately Finn was wrapping his arms around her shoulders and kissing her head. "Can you believe it has been five years?"
She spun in his arms so that she was facing him, his arms automatically moving around her waist and pulling her close. "It's been awesome."
"It has. I love you just as much now as I did back then."
He leaned down while tightening his grip further and kissed her soundly, pressing her against the railing of the bridge. When they broke apart, she peered at him through her lashes, a small smile present on her lips. "I guess I could give you your anniversary present now."
"I wouldn't say no to that." He ground his hips to hers suggestively, causing her to playfully swat at his chest.
"Finn, you are incorrigible." She giggled then kissed him sweetly. "You remember how we talked about starting a family soon?" Finn's arms tensed around her and she watched as he gulped. "I'm ready."
Finn's eyes went wide, his brain registering the implication of Rachel's words. "Wh-What? Are you serious? I thought you wanted to stay on as Maria for a while longer?"
"I did." She kissed him again, though he seemed to still be too surprised to react properly. "We've graduated college, you have a great teaching job, we have a great apartment, Westside Story has been going wonderfully; it's the right time. And it's not like I'll have to quit today."
Finn growled, pressing himself closer to Rachel on the bridge. "I love you so much." He didn't give her a chance to respond before his lips were on hers in a passionate kiss. Rachel's hands moved into his hair and she brought her knee up to his side. His hand immediately grabbed hold of her knee and he pressed her even further into the railing of the bridge. It wasn't until they heard the voice of a grossed out passerby that they disentangled themselves from each other.
"Get a room!"
Finn released the hold he had on Rachel's knee and rested his forehead against Rachel's. "The man has a point." Finn stepped back and picked Rachel up in one swift motion, causing her to squeal. He carried her the several blocks to their apartment using large steps; he was eager to be behind the closed doors of their apartment.
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
"Babe?"
Rachel called out from her place behind the bathroom door. "Yes?"
"Do you know where my blue tie is; the one with the blue stripes?"
Fifteen years of marriage has brought a sense of familiarity and security to Finn and Rachel. When they first started living together, the two would not even consider the possibility of holding a conversation while the other was in the bathroom. But now, with three kids and jobs and things that need to be done, they wouldn't get anything done if that unspoken rule was still in place.
"I think I saw it in the drawer with your socks."
His eyebrows knitted in confusion as he opened the mentioned drawer. "What would it be doing in there?" His hands moved the top layer of socks aside revealing the tie. "Found it."
After a few minutes, Rachel emerged from the bathroom, stopping in front of her husband to adjust his tie. "What time is Kurt supposed to pick up the kids?"
"In about thirty. I'll go make sure they have all their stuff together." Finn leaned down and placed a light kiss to Rachel's lips before leaving their bedroom. Finn made his way to his daughter's room, where she was sleeping in her crib, and gathered the little girls diaper bag, making sure to add extra clothes. He took the packed bag and placed it by the front door, noticing his two boys on the couch. "Chris, Alex, did you get your bag packed for your sleepover with Uncle Kurt tonight? It's almost time to go."
The two boys let out a simultaneous sigh, but it was the oldest who spoke first. "Yes, Dad. Mom made us pack while you were at school."
Finn looked around the room. "Well? Where are they? Go get them, please. I'm going to get Isabella, Mom should be ready soon." The two boys retrieved the previously packed bags from their room and placed them on the floor next to other one. "Thank you, boys."
"I'm ready." Rachel entered the room, her short black dress hugging her curves perfectly. She looked to where her husband was holding a still sleeping Isabella in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. Rachel would never get over how sexy her husband was when he was holding a baby. She smiled at him coyly as she heard a car honking in front of their home. "Boys, Uncle Kurt is here, let's take your bags out to the car."
Having safely left their kids in the capable hands of Kurt and Blaine for the night, Finn took Rachel's hand and they walked back into their apartment to gather her purse. "Are you ready for dinner? I made us a reservation at that place you like on east fifty-third."
"Can we just sit down for a minute? It's been a long day; my new understudy has been asking me nonstop questions all day and I'm kind of enjoying how quiet it is in here right now." She sat on the sofa and patted the cushion next to her, inviting Finn to sit beside her.
Finn sat and moved his arm behind her, wrapping it around her shoulder and pulling her into his side. "The district required test was yesterday and today and seventh graders have a surprisingly strong vocal opposition to big tests. The silence is rather nice." Finn kissed Rachel's head as she snuggled further into his side.
Hours later when the daylight had given way to darkness, the couple awoke; still on the couch, still dressed up for a night out on the town. They decided that instead of going out, they would order in and have a picnic in their own home.
The odds were against Finn and Rachel lasting, but the odds are just that, odds. And they are meant to be beaten.
A/N- Well, there you have it. I have to tell you that, according to Uncle Google, there actually is a quicky wedding chapel in Columbus called 'Weddings-R-Us.' Who knew? Anyway, I hope you liked it and you aren't too sick of me, yet. (hint-hint) Thank you for the support. Reviews are always welcome!